Adjustable ladder step



Dec. 5, 1939. HERLlNE 2,182,475

ADJUSTABLE LADDER STEP Filed Oct. 6, 1938 INI 'ENTOR.' azuqmz' mix/w ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 5, 1939 I UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLELADDER STEP George Herline, Saginaw, Mich.

Application October 6, 1938, Serial No. 233,555

1 Claim.

This invention relates to platforms used as removable attachments forrung ladders to provide a fiat step on which the user may stand.Myimprovement pertains more particularly to such a device adapted foruse on ladders of various widths and tiltably mounted so it may be keptlevel regardless of the angle of the ladder, and is capable of beingfastened at any point along the length of a ladder, although the laddermay be wider at the bottom than at the top. The device is also adaptedto be fastened to the ladder rail so as to be supported in its middle bya rung, or it can be fastened between any two rungs without theauxiliary support of a rung.

The objects of my improvement are:

To provide a simplified structure that can be manufactured at smallexpense.

Toprovide such a device with a platform that is strong, rigid, andadapted to be extended or retracted in the direction of its length so asto fit narrower or wider parts of a ladder. The platform althoughextensible has no hinged joints or folding members. Not being dependentfor its strength upon any releasable bolts, latches or like fasteningslikely to get out of order and cause accidents, the platform is strongerand safer than a foldable platform.

Another object is to provide means for adjusting the platform to conformwith various tilted positions of the ladder and to secure the platformin such angularly adjusted positions.

A further object is to provide fastening means for securing the deviceto the side rails of the ladder at any desired height so that theplatform may either rest upon a rung or else be secured independently inthe space between two rungs.

More specifically my improved appliance possesses the followingadvantages in use:

The interengaging or telescopic members of the platform are fastenedtogether in overlapping relation giving the platform sufficient strengthto carry usual loads without sagging. Consequently the platform need notbe supported by a ladder rung, although it may rest upon a rung ifdesired. Its ability to be fastened at any place on the ladder, eitheron a rung or between two rungs, distinguishes it from earlier deviceswherein a hinge extended crosswise of a foldable platform, the hingerequiring to be supported intermediate its ends by a ladder rung.

In my device the platform may be tilted on its supporting brackets andmay be fastened in such tilted position while the ladder is in use andwithout unfastening the brackets from the ladder rails.

With the foregoing and certain other objects in view which will appearlater in the specification, my invention comprises the devices describedand claimed and the equivalents thereof.

Fig. 1 is a front view of a ladder equipped with three platforms madeaccording to my improvement, applying the features of telescopicadjustment to suit various ladder widths at different heights.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the telescopic platform, showing thesupporting brackets and the means for angularly adjusting the platformand brackets relatively to each other.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing the pivotalconnection of the clamping bracket to the platform, and indicating atilted position thereof by broken lines.

Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrammatic side views of a ladder standing against asupport, the platform being adjusted on the brackets so as to behorizontal in various angular positions of the ladder.

Numerals l and 2 designate respectively the rails and rungs of aconventional ladder which is narrow at the top and wider toward thebottom.

The platform as shown in plan in Fig. 2, is telescopic, that is to saylongitudinally extensible and retractable and comprises, in the formshown, two series 3, 4, of parallel interdigitating fingers. The outerends of the fingers are fixed to the horizontal flanges, 5, of L-shapedsupporting members 6, and their inner ends are kept together by means ofstraps or bars 3a, lid on their top and bottom faces.

Two flanges 1, 8, Figs. 2 and 3, project outwardly from a bracket platemember 9 to receive rails I, l between them, and a clamping plate In ismounted on flange 8 by means of a clamping screw ll.

Plate member 9 of the bracket and the upright member 6 of the platformsupport are pivoted together at 12 so that the platform can be keptlevel regardless of the angle of tilt given to the ladder, as shown atA, A in the comparative diagrammatic views, Figs. 4 and 5.

The broken lines, Fig. 3, indicate an adjustably tilted position of thebracket in relation to the platform, the angle of tilt being designatedat the right by a curved arrow. Plate member 9 of the bracket has spacedapertures l3 and the platform supporting member 6 has a correspondingaperture Hi. When [4 is in register with one of the apertures l3 a pinI5 is inserted, fastening the platform and rail bracket together in anychosen angular position.

In operation the device is inserted in the space between the ladderrails l, I, and between any two of the rungs 2, shown in Fig. 1. Theflanges 1, 8 of the brackets at the ends of the platform are movedoutwardly to embrace the rails I, I, thus lengthening the platform untilthe members 9, 9 take against the inside walls of the rails. The screwsII are then tightened and the plates l6 firmly grip the front and backwalls of the rails.

In Fig. 1 the platform is shown resting on rungs 2 which help supportthe platform load. However, if desired, the device may be fastened tothe rails between two rungs and thus be supported independently of them.The platform can be applied to any wider or narrower part of the ladder,as is shown in three places, Fig. 1, or to ladders of different widths,without any adjustment or manipulation other than merely pulling out orextending the platform in the manner described above.

It will be observed that when the tilted position of the ladder is to bechanged, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, it is not necessary for the userto loosen the bracket T, 8, or to shift their position on the rails I, Iin order to keep the platform level. The user merely removes pin l5,turns the platform about the pivot l2 until aperture I4 registers with adifferent aperture l3, and then reinserts the pin.

To remove the apparatus from the ladder, the clamping screws II areloosened and the two ends of the platform are pushed toward each otheruntil the flanges l, 8 are disengaged from the rails l, I.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patentis:

An attachment for ladders comprising a pair of rail-engaging bracketsadapted to be mounted on the side rails of a ladder, clamp means adaptedto fasten the said brackets to said rails at any point along the lengthof the rails, a platform comprising two series of interdigitatingmembers in mutually telescoping relation, said platform being tiltableabout an axis lengthwise thereof, platform supporting members secured tothe outer ends of the said interdigitating members of each series, saidplatform supporting members being pivotally mounted on said railengagingbrackets; and releasable fastening means adapted to secure saidsupporting members to the respective rail-engaging brackets in

